Material handling apparatus



April 22, 1958 H, PATRICK 2,831,586

MATERIAL HANDLING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 19, 1955 1 LJ Ll INVENTOR.

I 5M2) H. PATQ/CK P 3 BY HIS ATTORNEY MATERIAL HANDLING APPARATUS Emzy H. Patrick, Port Arthur, Tex., assignor to Gulf Oil Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application August 19, 1955, Serial No. 529,388

Claims. (Cl. 2146) proved satisfactory, however, because movement of the stack of slabs during handling thereof is often accompanied by movement out of position of one or more of the slabs forming a part of such stack. The apparatus of the present invention overcomes the defects found in material handling apparatus of the prior art by facilitating the stacking of the slab material and by maintaining slab material stacked on top of each other in a fixed position during handling thereof.

The present invention can be better understood with reference to the accompanying drawing which is hereby incorporated in and made a part of the present specification. It is understood that the construction and combination of parts which are herein described and which are illustrated in the drawing comprise preferred embodiments only and there is no intention to be limited thereby. Figure 1 is a plan view of the apparatus together with the collecting and stacking means associated therewith. Figure 2 is an enlarged plan view similar to Figure 1 but showing only a portion thereof. Figure 3 is a side view of the apparatus shown in Figure 2.

Referring to the drawing, specifically Figure 1, reference numeral 2 defines a conventional endless conveyor, such as a belt conveyor or the like, for moving wax blocks 4 in the direction of the arrow toward station A. In order to halt the movement of wax cakes 4 when they have reached station A a vertically disposed stop plate 6 is mounted above conveyor 2 in the path of movement of the wax blocks. Periodically, a reciprocating transfer pusher 8 transfers a series of wax cakes from station A to station B. Transfer pusher 8 can be adapted to move any selected number of wax cakes from station A to station B, but in the present discussion it will be assumed that four such wax cakes are moved from one station to the other.

While station B can be located in a plane below station A, it is preferably substantially in the same plane as station A. As shown in Figure 2, station B comprises in essence a plurality of spaced, longitudinally disposed bars 10 arranged so as to receive the wax cakes as they are transferred from station A. In order to halt the forward movement of the wax cakes during the transfer, a stop 12 mounted in the path of movement of the wax blocks is provided.

Normally disposed below the framework comprising station B is a step elevator 14. When the wax cakes have been moved into position at station B, step elevator 14 is moved upwardly as shown in Figure 3 by any suitable means. The arrangement is such that upon movement of the step elevator the wax cakes are moved upwardly and a wax cake is disposed on each of the steps forming a part of the step elevator. For reasons which will be noted shortly, step elevator 14 is preferably made in two sections 16 and 18 as shown in Figure 2. If desired, the two sections 16 and 18 can be joined together at their lower position.

As soon as the step elevator 14 has moved upwardly into position and a wax cake has been disposed on each of the steps thereof, accumulator pusher 20 is moved, by any suitable means, in the direction of the arrow, as shown in Figure 2, between sections 16 and 18 of step elevator 14. Initially accumulator pusher 20 contacts the wax block on the top step of the step elevator, pushingsuch wax block on top of the wax block on the next lower step. Further movement of' the accumulator pusher moves the two wax blocks'on top of the wax block on the next lower step, and this is continued until the four wax blocks are stacked on top of each other.

Accumulator pusher 20 continues its forward movement until the stack of wax cakes are positioned at sta tion C. In order to halt the forward movement of the stack of wax cakes at station C, a stop 22 mounted in the path of movement of the stack is provided. After the stack of wax cakes has come to rest at station C, a loading pusher 24 is moved, by any suitable means, in the direction of the arrow, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, pushing the stack of wax cakes into a container such as a carton or package 26. The carton or package 26 is thereafter moved to other stations for further handling.

' In order to facilitate the accumulation of the wax cakes to form a stack thereof and prevent the individual cakes from being shaken out of position during such accumulation and subsequent packaging, I have provided a spring holder 28. As shown in Figure 3, the spring holder 28 comprises an angle member 30 provided with a horizontal portion 32 overlying the adjacent portion of step elevator 14. The angle member is preferably fixedly attached to the vertical portion 34 of accumulator pusher 20 or it can be made integral therewith. The horizontal portion 32 of the angle member is provided with a number of openings through which fit bolts 36, which are preferably threaded. It is understood that while only two bolts are shown, more can be provided if desired. Fixedly attached by any suitable means to the lower portion of bolts 36 is a plate 38 provided With a curved portion 40. I

Circumferentially disposed about bolts 36 between plate 38 and the horizontal portion 32 of angle member 30 are compression springs 42 for normally maintaining plate 38 downwardly. Threaded on the free ends of bolts 36 are nuts 44 which serve to limit the forward movement of plate 38.

Plate 38 is normally extended into position so that when the step elevator 14 is moved upwardly, with a wax cake on each of the steps thereof, plate 38 is in contact with the wax cake on the top step of the step elevator and holds the same securely in place. It can be seen that as accumulator pusher 20 is moved in the direction of the arrow as shown in Figure 3, accumulating the wax blocks to form a stack as previously described, springs 42 will force plate 38 to remain in contact with the wax cake on top of the stack, and this contact is maintained until loading pusher 24 moves the stack of Wax cakes into the carton or package 26. In this way, the wax cakes are maintained securely in place during the accumulation stage and the loading stage and are not forced out of their desired position at any time.

While the description herein has been with reference to wax cakes, it is understood that such description is for purposes of illustration only and that any material requiring similar treatment can also be handled with the apparatus of this invention. Although the specific means for moving the conveyor, the various pushers and the step elevator have not been shown, any suitable means, be it manual, mechanical, etc., can be employed to provide such movement.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the invention as hereinabovewset-forth may be made without departing from the spiritand scopethereof and therefore onlysuch limitations should be imposed as are indicated by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for facilitating the handling'and packaging of slab material which comprises a step elevator for positioning a numberwof'slab material in step-wise arrangement, pusher meansfor accumulating saidslab material on top of each other to form astack thereof and movingsaid stackto a loading station, means for moving said stack at said loadingzstation into a container, and means'fixed to said pusher means for engaging the slab material on the top step of said step elevator and maintainingsuch engagement during the handling and packaging of such slab-material.

2. Apparatus for facilitating the handling and packaging ofslab material which comprises a step elevator for positioning a number of slab material in step-wise arrangement, pusher means for accumulating said slab material on top of each other to form a stack thereof and moving said stack to a loading station, means for moving said stack at said loading station into a container, and spring means fixed to said pusher means for engaging the slab material on the top step of said step elevator and maintaining such engagement during the handling and packaging of such slab material.

3. Apparatus for facilitating the handling and packaging of slab material which comprises a step elevator for positioning a number of slab material in stepwise arrangement, pusher means for accumulatingsaid slab material on top of each other to form a stack thereof and moving said stack to a loading station, means for moving said stack at said loading station into a container, and a spring-biased plate fixed to said pusher means for engaging the slab material'on the top step of said step elevator and maintaining such engagement during the handling and packaging of such slab material.

4. Apparatus for facilitatingthe handling and packaging of slab material which comprises a step elevator for positioning a number of slab material in step-Wise arrangement, pusher means for accumulating said slab material on top of each other to form a stack thereof and moving said stack to a loading station, means for moving said stack at said loading station into a container, and means fixed to said pusher means for engaging the slab material on the top step of said step elevator and maintaining such engagement during the handling and packaging of such slab material, said means fixed to said pusher means comprising a plate, springs in contact with said plate for urging said engagement and means adjusting thetension of said springs and limiting movement of said plate.

5. Apparatus for facilitating the handling and packaging ot slab material which comprises means for supporting a number of slab material in a horizontal plane, means for positioning said slab material in step-wise arrangement, means for accumulating said slab material on top of each other to form a stack thereof and moving;s'aid-stackto a loading station, means for moving said "stack at said loading station into a container, and means fixed'to said accumulating means for engaging the top-most slab material-positioned in step-Wise arrangement and maintaining s'uch engagement during the handling and packaging. of 'such' slab material.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2324930 Joa' July 20; 1943 2,508,698 Von Beren May 23, 1950 2,651,896 Woodruifetal. Sept. 15, 1953 2,781,887 Forster Feb. 19,1957

FOREIGN PATENTS 733,654 Great Britain July-13, I955 

1. APPARATUS FOR FACILITATING THE HANDLING AND PACKAGING OF SLAB MATERIAL WHICH COMPRISES A STEP ELEVATOR FOR POSITIONING A NUMBER OF SLAB MATERIAL IN STEP-WISE ARRANGEMENT, PUSHER MEANS FOR ACCUMULATING SAID SLAB MATERIAL ON TOP OF EACH OTHER TO FORM A STACK THEREOF AND MOVING SAID STACK TO A LOADING STATION, MEANS FOR MOVING SAID STACK AT SAID LOADING STATION INTO A CONTAINER AND MEANS FIXED TO SAID PUSHER MEANS FOR ENGAG-ING THE SLAB MATERIAL ON THE TOP STEP OF SAID STEP ELEVATOR AND MAINTAINING SUCH ENGAGEMENT DURING THE HANDLING AND PACKAGING OF SUCH SLAB MATERIAL. 